I covered Nathan’s mouth with my hand
“I finally escaped them.Why bring them up?Their fate’s not my problem.”
I leaned against him,closing my eyes,breathing the mountaintop air,smiling brightly.

“I just want to live for myself now.My life’s been a mess—no friends,always the odd one out.I thought the sky fell.
But life has meaning.
Meeting you proved that.
Knowing someone will remember me after I’m gone makes me less afraid.”
That night,we descended the mountain.
Tired,Nathan carried me.

I rested on his back,asking,“Nathan,you said you had no family.Why?”
He stiffened.“The night I found you,I buried my grandma.She was my only family.”
“What about your parents?”
“Car accident when I was young.Grandma raised me.”

I regretted asking.He was hurting.
I whispered,“Death’s not the end—forgetting is.As long as you remember her,she’s with you.”
He went silent.
The walk was long.
I heard his quiet sobs.
I hugged him tighter.
Six months later,we returned to Harborview.
After my final chemo,snow blanketed the city.
I felt so tired and painless.
,but my eyes wouldn’t open.
Nathan called,“Emily,we’re almost home.”
I forced my eyes open,smiling weakly.“Nathan,I won’t make it to spring.I promised to see the cherry blossoms with you.You’ll have to go alone.”
He understood,closing his eyes with trembling lashes
,nails digging into his palms.
He took a shaky breath,forcing a smile.“Emily,I lied about something.”
“What?”I whispered.
“I didn’t want you as a sister.I’ve always…loved you.Please don’t leave me.”
He broke down sobbing
I rested on his back with my voice fading
,nuzzling him.“I knew…”
My lips trembled and my lashes fluttered
,summoning courage.
I smiled, broken and despairing.
”.“But Nathan,you shouldn’t love me.I’m not worth it.You deserve better,not someone facing death.”
God played the cruelest joke,letting us meet at the worst time,only for death to part us.
But it’s okay.I’ll always remember you,Nathan.
Next life,I’ll find you first.
This life,I’m going.
My hands fell limp.
Nathan felt it and trembled,
but walked carefully to the cemetery,as if not to disturb me.
Snow erased his footprints.
In the white haze,a faint figure seemed to embrace him tightly.